


Resilience

by todisturbtheuniverse



Series: Tactical Metaphors [9]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-09
Updated: 2014-07-09
Packaged: 2018-02-08 04:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1926507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/todisturbtheuniverse/pseuds/todisturbtheuniverse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard isn't really cut out for babysitting krogan. Adult krogan, sure. Kids? Another beast entirely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Resilience

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lightebonydarkivory](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightebonydarkivory/gifts).



> Prompt for Tumblr giveaway: Wrex&fem!Shep friendship pls! Maybe Shep and Garrus actually do adopt a Krogan baby and Wrex is giving Shep tips.

"What have we gotten ourselves into?" Shepard muttered.

The baby krogan at her feet laughed. It was more of a snort, really, accompanied by a gummy krogan grin. He stared up at her, eyes wide. At least he  _liked_ her. That was a start.

It would be nice if a baby krogan was less destructive than others of its kind, but honestly, she’d sort of expected this. She just hadn’t expected the  _scale_ of the destruction. It was a good thing she wasn’t too attached to the coffee table. Or the sofa. It was also a good thing that being a war hero came with a hefty salary.

Garrus patted her on the shoulder. “We could call Wrex.”

"Wrex is the one who landed us in this mess," Shepard sighed. She reached down to scoop the baby up. He was already heavy, for such a small guy. He snuggled up in her lap, wrapping stubby arms around her neck and pressing his face to her throat. "It’s only for a little while."

Garrus couldn’t roll his eyes, but he did lift his gaze to the ceiling in a close approximation. “A little while is going to be a  _long_ while if we don’t figure out why he’s eating our furniture.”

"Poor guy," Shepard murmured, running her hand over his still-soft plates. "You’re probably bored, huh? Retired people are boring. It would be much more exciting to colonize a new world with your parents, I bet."

He made a nonsense chirping sound against her skin.

"Don’t use that word," Garrus said, his voice vaguely pained.

Shepard grinned and got to her feet. The krogan came with her, hanging on with a delighted squeal. “Not much work for a vigilante on Eden Prime, Garrus. Face it. You’re old and soft these days.”

He scoffed. “If I’m old and soft, then you’re older and softer.  _And_ , to top it all off, more stubborn.” The krogan had started munching on her hair. “We should call Wrex.”

"Let’s give it another day," she hedged, gently removing her hair from the baby’s mouth. "Come on, little guy. You want food, let’s find something edible."

* * *

The next day brought a broken window, a small fire, and a dented refrigerator.

Shepard didn’t get it. The baby was fine until she turned her back, but if she walked away for just a moment, she returned to chaos. It was a good thing krogan were so resilient, even as children, but still—there was a frustrated ache building behind her eyes, the kind of soul-crushing feeling of failure that was usually reserved for losing a planet to a reaper invasion. Things were escalating out of control.

And then Wrex pinged her omnitool, just as she’d put out the fire.

She turned toward the living room to glare at Garrus. Only the back of his head was visible over the top of the couch, but there was the faintest blue tinge in his neck.  _Traitor_ , she thought, exasperated but fond, and scooped the baby up into her arms before answering the call.

"Wrex," she said, making a stab at her usual smile. She sat down on their last standing barstool. "What can I do for you?"

Wrex laughed. “You don’t look like you’re capable of doing anything for me just now, Shepard.”

She pulled a face. “Garrus told you.”

"He doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut," Wrex agreed.

"I heard that,” Garrus muttered from the other room.

"So, what’s the problem?" Wrex continued. "Mordin giving you trouble?"

"I just don’t know what he  _wants_ ,” Shepard said, shoulders slumping a little in defeat. Mordin took this opportunity to clamber up her arm and perch next to her ear, grumbling the whole time. “I feel like we’re getting along fine—”

"You  _look_ like you’re getting along fine,” Wrex chuckled, watching his son through the vid.

"But then I turn my back and he starts a fire," Shepard continued. "Literally." Gently, with a hand to balance him, she knocked her head against Mordin’s. He laughed and head-butted her back, not nearly as gently.

"He’s testing you," Wrex said, shrugging. "Didn’t think human kids were all that different."

"Okay, first, I’ve never had a human kid," Shepard replied, her patience fraying. "Second, humans are a little more delicate as babies. They generally can’t dent refrigerators without cracking their own heads open. Their  _tests_ are probably as trying as wet tissue paper.”

In the other room, Garrus barely stifled a snicker.

"Take this as an indication that you need a better house," Wrex advised. "Bakara will be there in a few days to take him off your hands, and then Auntie Shepard can get back to her retirement." He guffawed at that.

"Rebuilding a whole colony is not retirement,” Shepard grumbled.

"That’s not what I heard yesterday," Garrus muttered.

"Shepurr," Mordin announced suddenly, knocking his head against Shepard’s again.

"I should let you go," Wrex said, maybe sensing that she’d gotten a little misty-eyed. "Hold the line, Shepard." He laughed again and cut the call.

Smiling now, Shepard bumped her head against Mordin’s. “That’s Auntie Shepard to you,” she said sternly. “Let’s go do something krogan-y, hmm? Maybe chew on some boulders or something.”

She seriously doubted that he understood any of it, but his smile was good enough.


End file.
